Getting Back on Track: Routines Matter with Type 2 Diabetes

Having a routine might help you better manage your eating choices and physical activity, plus offer some balance in blood sugar levels.

I’m a creature of habit. I’m at my happiest eating, sleeping, and exercising around the same times every day — so when my routine gets out of whack, I’m just not myself.

Case in point: On a recent trip to Italy, when jet lag threw me off my usual schedule, my mood (not to mention my digestion) took a major hit. While I absolutely loved seeing the glories of Rome and Venice, I couldn’t help but turn into a rage monster toward my husband and kids …and let’s not even talk about my struggles in the bathroom.

International travel aside, keeping a regular schedule every day is a powerful thing for health and happiness. Besides being keenly aware of this in my own life, as a nutritionist, I see the positive impact of routine in type 2 diabetes.

Here’s why daily patterns matter with type 2 diabetes, and how to ease yourself into a regular groove of eating, physical activity, and blood sugar testing if you’ve gotten off track.

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Why do routines matter?

Your health isn’t always predictable. Rising and falling blood sugar levels can take you on a rollercoaster ride you never signed up for. Establishing a routine not only helps you monitor your health, but it can also help stabilize blood sugar levels throughout the day.

By eating lunch around the same time, for example, you can know approximately what to expect from your blood sugar by midafternoon.

Routines also condition us toward beneficial behaviors. When we can put good self-care on autopilot, it’s much easier to course correct when life circumstances throw us for a loop.

Once you’ve come to expect eating, exercising, or sleeping at regular times, these patterns become normal or routine. ‘Normal’ is comfortable, and most of us strive to maintain comfort.

Meal planning and timing

Since food choices are so impactful with type 2 diabetes, it’s worth incorporating the habit of meal planning.

Take a look at your schedule: When could you set aside an hour or so to plan a week’s dinners (or, if you have time, breakfasts or lunches)?

I’m a self-professed meal-planning nerd, so I look forward to the Sunday afternoon when I haul out my favorite cookbooks and get creative about the week ahead.

But if meal planning isn’t your fave, pair it with something you enjoy, like a good cup of coffee. The mere smell of coffee brewing may soon have you brainstorming dinner ideas.

As for the timing of your meals, it’s best to strive for consistency here, too. With type 2 diabetes, you may be dosing insulin or other medications that depend upon when you eat.

Research suggests that it’s best to take mealtime insulin 15–20 minutes before a meal. Talk with your doctor or dietitian about the best meal schedule for your particular medication, then do your best to stick to it.

Medication

Most type 2 diabetes medications work best when administered at the same time every day. Some should be taken before a meal, some with a meal, some in the morning, and some at night (or even multiple times per day).

It all depends on which medicine you’re taking. Just know that consistency is key. Be sure to follow your doctor’s instructions for timing.

That said, it’s not uncommon to struggle with getting your meds down the hatch at the same time each day. One possible solution is habit stacking.

The concept here is to add taking your medicine to another practice you’ve already established. I take my own medications immediately after I take my breakfast dishes to the sink.

But for you, this might look like taking yours along with brushing your teeth, getting the mail, or wiping down the kitchen counter after dinner.

Physical activity

Physical activity naturally lowers blood sugar and promotes weight loss, giving us an oh-so-pleasant endorphin boost!

But since we don’t always feel like getting active, making it a routine could get us off the couch when we’d really rather watch Grey’s Anatomy. A 2021 study found that people who stuck with regular exercise reported greater motivation and enjoyment 3, 6, and 12 months into their routine.

For a simple path (literally) toward more exercise, try adding a brief walk after dinner. A lot of research suggests that post-meal walking helps lower blood sugar. They even found that just a few minutes of light-intensity strolling brought down blood glucose by a significant margin.

Once the dishes are done, make that your cue to lace up.

Testing

The only way to know your blood sugar numbers is to test them regularly. With type 2 diabetes, this knowledge is power.

Be your own health hero by making a habit of checking your numbers. Your doctor may recommend you test daily or multiple times per day.

Again, you can “stack” this habit onto another existing one or try setting an alarm on your phone to remind you to test at specified times. Then, use your readings to motivate healthy lifestyle choices.

Takeaway

Routines can sound boring, but maintaining a day-in, day-out schedule is actually a very good thing. Your goal is stable blood sugar, and routines can help you achieve it.

So don’t fear getting formulaic! Instead, think of your routine as a groove — and you’re the groove-master of your own health.